About Us
At Classic HiFi, we revive vintage audio treasures from the 1970s, '80s, and ‘90s. With more than 16 years experience, we offer meticulously restored HiFi components, sharing our passion and expertise with fellow enthusiasts.
About the Owner
Hi, my name is Ross. I am the owner and manager of Classic HiFi, and this is the story of how Classic HiF began.
My journey of music loving began at a very young age. Growing up in the 1970s was a great time for music and HiFi. Many now legendary rock bands debuted, disco was born, and on it went.
HiFi components were improving, too, reaching such a peak in development we saw the start of the Monster Receiver Wars; this era is often referred to as the Golden Era of HiFi. From this, reliable solid-state technology, bold silver-brushed alloy face plates, beautiful machined alloy knobs, and toggle switches with stunning VU metres combined to make components that were genuinely drool-worthy!
As a teenager, seeing a photo of a “stack”—a bunch of matching components stacked on top of one another—creating the most impressive display was as good as it got. I liked my music and wanted it to sound great, too, but being a penniless teenager meant I could only dream. In the meantime, I read and learned as much as I could, including collecting Stereo Buyers Guide magazines, which I still have. Remember, there was no internet back then!
I landed a job in 1980 and finally bought a top-of-the-line Tandy system. The total cost was a steep $1600, so I had to pay it off on layby. I’m proud to say I still have the full system to this day. Without realising the significance, even back then, I was tailoring a system to my needs—one that would pump rock music loud! It was a massive step up from the plastic portable unit I had before, which sounded like two parrots screeching at full volume.
Through the 1980s and 1990s, I lamented the move away from the big silver-faced models to the more fashionable and, in my opinion, plain-looking black components. Feeling sorry for the now unloved silver-faced models popping up at markets and swap meets, I started collecting the odd piece here and there.
Around the mid-2000s, I started to sell some components on eBay. I was one of the very first because when I was trying to find a pricing guide to determine their value, there weren’t any others I could compare with. At this time, Gumtree and Facebook MarketPlace didn’t exist.
Around 2015, I started working with a very capable Central West-based technician who we have used continuously ever since. He has serviced thousands of components for us. Once I started to sell a larger amount of vintage HiFi, I became more exposed to problematic components. If you sell 2 to 3, you might be lucky and have no problems, but as you increase your sales to 20 to 30 or even 200 to 300, you will simply have more problems. This is to be expected when dealing with components that are 20 to 50 years old.
In 2009, Classic HiFi was started by the original owners of the business. Around 2016, they started buying off us, which they did for 3 years before offering the business to my wife and I. So, in 2019 we bought Classic HiFi and have been the proud owners ever since.
With Classic HiFi, we have brought with us skills in management, having both previously worked in corporate businesses. We have specific expertise in customer service, including order processing and representative level and state management. Plus, accreditation for internal and external quality systems auditing, inventory management, and national procurement for a global business, including supplier management.
Today, we are the same store in the same location that was established in 2009. We continue to serve audio enthusiasts and collectors and enjoy chatting with each and every one of our customers to help them find the perfect piece for their HiFI setup.
Our Newtown Store
We proudly operate out of the original Classic HiFi shop that has been a fixture in Newtown since 2009, continuing to serve our valued customers from this beloved location! We are the only store of our type in Sydney, so we encourage enthusiasts and newcomers alike to visit our Newtown store and experience the authentic charm and distinct sound of refurbished HiFi components firsthand. As passionate enthusiasts, we take delight in engaging with you, sharing insights, and helping you navigate the vast world of vintage HiFi components. Most importantly, visiting us in store is a great way to get advice if you don’t know where to start.
Vist Us In Store
We are the home of high-quality vintage HiFi in Sydney. If you have any questions about individual pieces or need guidance on curating the perfect set-up, then come visit us in store or fill out the form on our contact page for general enquiries.
